The Lost One
by InsaneHime
Summary: Sakura's whole team is destroyed and everyone assumes that she fell with him. Everyone except for one former teammate. Can he find her and help her find herself again along the way?
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do Not own Naruto.

Chapter 1

"I am sorry," Tsunade sighed, "I truly am, but I can't allow you to go. The war cost our village far too much. We need you here to help with the rebuilding that must be done."

"She is out there damn it, and I am not going to just set around here and rebuild while she could need us," the shinobi before her argued with a passion that was rare for him.

"Kakashi think about it," the Hokage sadly told him. "The whole team was dead, there is no way that she could have survived. I am sorry that you weren't with them, but chances are if you were the you would be gone too."

"Goddamn it she isn't lying in the morgue," the copy nin growled. "If she was dead then she would have been with them. But she wasn't she may be lost, but she isn't gone and I will not rest until I find her."

"You know as well as I do that there are some jutsu which don't leave a body," Tsunade felt her stomach roll even thinking about it.

"There is no evidence that anything like that was used. You know as well as I do that a jutsu so destructive as that would leave signs that it had been used," Kakashi argued.

"None of the team had any healing even attempted on them. If that doesn't convince you that she is gone than I don't know what will," tears gathered in her eyes, but she wouldn't let them fall. She was the Hokage; she had to be strong.

"Maybe by the time that the fight was over there was nothing left to heal," he growled at her. "You don't know, and until I do you won't be seeing me."

"What are you doing?" Tsunade demanded when the silver haired man started to remove his forehead protector.

"I told you that I am going to find her," Kakashi fixed her with his mismatched eyes. "I really don't care if I do it as a shinobi of the Leaf or not."

"Fine," the blonde woman finally gave in. Konoha had suffered far too many losses already. She didn't believe that Kakashi would find her, but if he needed this time to remain a Leaf shinobi then so be it. "You can go, but I honestly don't believe there is anything out there for you."

"With all due respect I believe that you are wrong," he told her before teleporting himself away.

* * *

"Well did she give you permission to go?" Naruto nervously asked as soon as his sensei appeared before him.

"I didn't exactly leave her much of an option," Kakashi replied to him as he shouldered his pack which was setting on Naruto's sofa. His own home had been destroyed during the war so all of his worldly possessions now fit into the confines of this one bag. It didn't matter though, he would give all of it and more to recover their missing teammate.

"I knew you could do it," Naruto cheered. "Just let me go grab my stuff and we can go."

"You aren't going anywhere," the copy nin told him. "Konoha can't afford to lose both of us right now."

"It doesn't matter," Naruto argued. "If she is still out there I have to help you find her."

"First of all you have to stay to continue your training to take over for Tsunade," Kakashi growled at his former student. "More importantly, I don't need anyone coming with me who doesn't know for sure that she is still alive."

"I didn't mean it that way," the blonde hung his head in shame.

"I know," the older shinobi ran a hand down his face. "Sorry Naruto my nerves are just a little on edge. Listen you have to stay, but I promise you that I will find her and bring her home."

"Alright," Naruto agreed.

"I've got to get going," Kakashi told him on the way out of the door, "too much time has passed already."

Naruto watched the man who hadn't been his sensei for many years, though he would always think of him that way, walk away. He couldn't help but to remember making the same promise to a pink haired girl once; the very girl that their sensei was now going to find. With all of his being he hoped that Kakashi had better luck keeping his promise than he had.

* * *

Night came sooner than the copy nin would have liked. As he set by a small fire to fight away the chill in the air he wondered if she was out there cold and shivering somewhere. Tomorrow he would reach the battlefield where Neji's ANBU squad had found what was left of her own team. Not that there had been much left to find. He refused to let that discourage him though; because they didn't find her.

Kakashi couldn't help but kicking himself in the ass over the whole situation. When she had come to him asking him to recommend her for ANBU he had done so. The twenty-one year old kunoichi who had made that request of him was a vastly different creature than the girl who had first came under his care. She had been tempered by war and the life of a shinobi. She had acquired a certain hardness about her that was expected of anyone who survived that long in their world, but she still managed not to lose herself.

The problem was that after she had passed and made it in, as he knew she would, she had come to him again to ask him to rejoin ANBU's ranks. She wanted to be a team again. He had denied her that request. Now he couldn't even allow himself to think her name. The pain of losing comrades was always a bitter one, but this was worse. Again he had personally failed one of his precious people, and this time he wasn't sure that he could ever get over it.

* * *

"Another," the woman setting at the end of the bar demanded.

"Don't you think that you've had enough?" The bartender asked as he approached the stranger with pink hair. She had drank more than he had ever seen anyone of her size manage; hell she had drank more than men twice her size could.

"I'll let you know when I have had enough," she grabbed his shirt collar and pulled him down to look into his eyes. "Do you understand?"

"Fine lady," the bartender straightened out his shirt after she pushed him away and quickly set another drink in front of her.

Suddenly two men came in supporting a very wounded third in between them. It took only a few seconds to determine that they were shinobi, and that their teammate didn't have very long to live. The woman watched as they rushed past her and into a room that was behind the bar. Blood splattered on her drink as they carried him past.

"Why the hell are they here and not at a hospital?" The woman asked as she pushed her drink away in revulsion. "I need a new drink."

"We don't have a hospital," the bartender explained as he brought over a drink to replace her tainted one. "The town's doctor will come to see him here."

"He is a shinobi," she sighed as the injured man's cries grated on her nerves, "just call in a med nin."

"Don't have any of those either," the bartender shrugged.

"Oh hell," the green eyed woman sighed in frustration. "How long will it take that doctor to get here?"

"Fifteen minutes tops," he told her as he poured her another drink without having to be prompted.

"He won't make it that long," she informed him as she downed the warm liquor. "That was arterial spray. I would say he has less than five minutes,"

"Look lady unless you are a doctor than there is nothing that either of us can do," he shrugged.

"I guess you are right," she shook her head as she stood from her chair and entered the room. "Get the hell out of my way if you want him to live."

The two who had brought their friend in looked at each other for a split second before they did just that. They didn't know the woman who reeked of alcohol, but if she thought she could save their comrade then it was worth a try. They knew that he probably wouldn't make it until the doctor arrived. Everyone who was in the bar crowded into the room to see what she would do and their eyes widened as her hands glowed green and she placed them above the shinobi's wounds. Within five minutes there wasn't even a mark showing that they had ever been there.

"Thank you," the shinobi that she had healed grabbed her wrist stopping her before she could walk away.

"Don't thank me," she coldly replied. "I healed you because your screams were bothering me, and don't expect me to do it again. Now I need a bottle of Sake and directions to the nearest inn."


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

"Just a damn minute," the pink haired woman yelled as she was awoken by pounding on her door.

She had a splitting headache, due to her lovely hangover, and there was absolutely no reason that anyone should be knocking on her door here. Quickly she held her hand, glowing with green chakra, over her forehead while throwing on her pants. At last she made it to the door ready to punch whoever had knocked on it through the wall. However, when she saw three shinobi wearing the Hot Springs' forehead protector she changed her mind.

"I think that you have the wrong room," she told them as she started to close the door in their faces.

"I don't believe so," one of the shinobi replied as he put his foot in front of the door effectively stopping her from closing it. "The Daimyou wishes to see you."

"Well I was actually just leaving, so I am afraid that I don't have the time," she replied as she retreated into the room to grab her pack.

"We were ordered to bring you in one way or the other," the same shinobi informed her.

The pink haired woman took a few moments to weigh her options. It took only one appraising glance to conclude that she would be able to take all three of them, but that would be far too much trouble. Finally she resigned herself to the fact that she would have to meet with this Daimyou or have a hell of a time fighting her way out of this stupid village, and draw more attention to herself than she was willing to.

"Fine," she sighed. "Just give me a minute to gather my stuff. You can stay and watch if you want."

"We will just wait right here," the shinobi at last closed the door allowing her a little privacy.

* * *

This was it. This was the place where her team had been annihilated. Even a whole week after the battle had taken place the land was still scared. If you looked closely you could see random ink stains on some of the trees; evidence that Sai had fought hard until the end. Kakashi couldn't be certain but the wounds that killed the artist looked eerily familiar. He wouldn't know for sure until he found her and she told him what had happened. Here and there were random splinters; left from the final battle of Konoha's last wood user.

Sai, Yamato, the loss of them weighed heavily on the copy nin. However he couldn't even allow himself to feel the true depth of the loss until he found her. Right now that was the first priority. Grieving could wait; she couldn't. After a few more minutes of looking over the area Kakashi noticed something strange. He had fought many battles with the missing kunoichi at his side, and she always left her mark. Trees downed, deep crevasses from her monstrous strength, but here there was none of that. It was as though she hadn't taken part in what had happened here at all. It made his suspicions about his fallen teammate's wounds all the stronger, and his worry over her grew. At last he made a few hand seals and a small pug appeared before him.

"You know what to do," Kakashi told the small dog.

"Sure thing boss," Pakkun solemnly nodded, "but you know that after so much time the chance of me picking up anything is pretty slim."

"Just do your job," the copy nin replied.

"Over here," the small dog called out after several minutes of sniffing around.

"What do you have?" Kakashi asked, though deep down he couldn't help but to fear the answer.

"It is her blood," came the response that he didn't want to hear. "But she was alive and she left heading north alone."

"It is a start at least," the seasoned shinobi sighed as he started heading the direction that his summon had indicated.

The dog finding her blood truly only raised more questions. Why had she left the area before healing herself? At least he knew that she was alive and alone. Even if he was right about Sai's wounds she hadn't fallen into the hands of that beast.

* * *

"He is ready to see you now," a small shy woman with purple hair told the waiting woman.

"Thanks," the green eyed woman who had been called here only to be forced to wait for over an hour replied as nicely as she could given her agitation.

As she walked into the office she looked it over. It was grander than the one that she was accustomed to spending so much time in. She wasn't sure what exactly to make of that fact or of the man who turned to face her. He was much younger than she had expected and dare she say quite handsome. A few years ago setting in his presence probably would have caused her to have butterflies in her stomach, but thankfully those days were long gone. He seemed to study her as intently as she studied him before he finally spoke.

"Thank you for agreeing to see me," he offered her a smile.

"I wasn't given much of a choice," she replied as she took a seat in a chair before his desk.

"Sorry about that," the man actually seemed to blush a little at the chastisement. "Let's not let that start us out on the wrong foot. My name is Yuki. And you are?"

"Just passing through," she quickly answered. "What was it that you wanted with me?"

"To make a proposition," Yuki ignored the fact that she didn't tell him her name. The truth was he already knew it. A shinobi didn't reach the level of skill of the woman before him without making her way into the bingo books, but he would admit that the picture that had been used did not do her justice.

"Whatever it is thank you, but I am not interested," she started to rise from the chair.

"A shinobi like you that is such a long way from home should probably listen to my offer," he smirked at the girl.

"I am not a shinobi," she stubbornly argued.

"Really?" He quirked a brow at her. "Your forehead protector would tend to indicate otherwise."

"Oh this," she quickly pulled it off of her head, "I found this in the forest."

"Miss Haruno we are really not going to be able to get anywhere like this," he said. He saw it then; a look of fear run through her eyes. She was caught and she knew it.

"Alright what do you want?" Sakura crossed her bandaged arms defensively in front of her.

"I heard about the way that you were able to heal my wounded shinobi last night. I would like to start by offering you my thanks," Yuki was genuinely grateful that the man had not been lost.

"No problem," Sakura looked very uncomfortable like she might bolt given the slightest provocation.

"It is a shame that you are not able to heal your own injuries," he indicated her arms.

"Well some things aren't so easy to heal," her eyes looked a million miles away.

"No they aren't," Yuki spoke in a tone that told her he understood. "Look I am afraid that we have no medical shinobi in this village. If you could be convinced to stay here and train a squad it would be greatly appreciated."

"You are asking the wrong person to take on a group of students," she stubbornly shook her head.

"Well then I could offer you safe haven here. I would provide you a home and enough money to ensure that you live comfortably. In exchange all that I ask is that when we have an injured shinobi you heal them," it was a good offer and he could see that she knew it. The look in her eyes gave away the fact that she wanted to hide, from what he wasn't sure, and he was offering her protection from being discovered.

"Fine," she reluctantly nodded her head. "But I don't want every damn shinobi with a pulled hamstring to be brought to me, and I don't want anyone outside of this village to know that I am here."

"Excellent," he gave her a genuine smile. This would be good for his village. They would lose far fewer shinobi with her skills, and Yuki was a kind man. He hoped that just maybe the time that she spent here would help her to mend the wounds that she herself was unwilling to heal.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

"Honestly again," Sakura sighed when she heard her door open.

"Sorry Sakura," Yuki apologized. He gave her a moment to perform her customary morning ritual of soothing away her hangover before he continued. "We had a genin team come in, two of them have quite severe injuries."

"Do I have time to change?" She asked as she rose from her bed.

"Given your skill I believe so," he told her. "I will have them in the examine room downstairs."

"Alright," she shooed him towards the door so that she could hurry and get ready.

"Breakfast is waiting in the kitchen for you after you are done and I expect you to eat," Yuki smiled as she closed the door in his face.

She had been living here in the mansion with him for a little over a month now and the life expectancy of his shinobi had greatly improved in that short time. It was an ideal arrangement Sakura took care of Yuki's troops, and Yuki took care of her.

One of the first things that she had asked of him was to purchase her a kimono. Yuki had bought her twenty of them. He had one of the rooms downstairs turned into her makeshift hospital, and even when she was working she chose to wear her new clothing. She had taken off her forehead protector and hidden it and her ANBU uniform somewhere and he had not seen them since the day that he had provided her with alternative clothing. Sakura was still hiding; Yuki had finally come to the conclusion that it was herself who she was truly afraid of.

Every night without fail he would return from running his village to find one extremely drunken kunoichi. He wasn't even sure where she kept putting all of the alcohol. Just when he thought that he had found all of her stashes she would find new hiding places. It didn't matter, she was did not weigh much, carrying her up to her bed every evening was not such a burden. As he watched her rush down to begin healing his injured shinobi though he wondered who had the easier job her bringing the injured back from death's door, or him trying to keep her from teetering over the edge. However, it was a burden that more and more he was happy to bare.

* * *

"Where is the third team member?" Sakura asked Yuki, when she came into the kitchen and went straight to the sink to wash the blood off of her hands.

"The third member of the squad was not that severely injured," he told her. "The town doctor is seeing to her wounds."

"The town doctor is a damn quack," Sakura sighed. "Just have her come by, I already healed the other two, it won't hurt to tend to her too."

"Not until after you have ate your breakfast," Yuki insisted though he couldn't help but to smile. This was the first time that she had offered to see a patient that could survive without her skills.

"Fine," she reluctantly set down and started eating. "Don't you have a meeting this morning?"

"I cancelled it," he shrugged. "Someone has to be here with you while you work to make sure that you don't deplete your chakra too much."

"One time, and you are never going to let me live it down," Sakura huffed as she took a bite of rice.

"One time that almost killed you," Yuki argued. He could still remember the fear that he had felt rushing through him on the day that he had returned home, only to find her collapsed on the floor next to her patient. The patient had recovered nicely; Sakura had been unconscious for two days.

"Well I am done so you can get going now," she replied.

"Come by the office after you tend to the kunoichi," he ordered.

"Fine, though I assure you that you have nothing to worry about," she shrugged.

"Of course I do," Yuki smiled as he stood and started for the door, "I have you to worry about you my dear Sakura."

* * *

Rumor after rumor, whispered word after whispered word; Kakashi traced them all down. For over a month now he had been on the trail of what Pakkun had once called his ghost. Kakashi had not summoned him since. He walked through a village now, as always ever alert for the illusive kunoichi with pink hair.

"Well, if he is hurt that bad you should take him to the hidden village," a woman looking over a selection of produce told the vendor whom she was doing business with.

"I have heard about that new healer," the merchant nodded, "but they say that she lives in the Daimyou's palace and will only see the most injured shinobi."

"Excuse me," Kakashi used his most charming tone. "I couldn't help but to overhear you. Could either of you two lovely ladies possibly tell me when this healer first showed up?"

"Sure," the woman who was shopping gave him a coy smile, "they actually say that she was discovered a little over a month ago, in a bar of all places. The very next day the Daimyou moved her into his palace and he personally keeps a close watch over her."

"Lucky girl," the other woman sighed. "The Daimyou is quite the handsome man."

"Thank you both very much," Kakashi gave them an eye crinkling smile and headed off.

Finally it would seem that he had found his elusive ghost. He would bet anything that she had pink hair and jade eyes. The Hidden Hot Spring village was only a day away, and Kakashi couldn't wait to get there. He knew that was where he would find her. The copy nin wasn't sure why she had choose to hide herself, but his answers were only a day away. More important than any answers though, he would finally be able to lay his mismatched eyes on her once again.

* * *

"Sai," Sakura screamed as she ran towards her fallen teammate ignoring the blood that was running down her arms.

"Where do you think that you are going Sakura?" A voice that had once haunted her dreams asked her. As she looked up and into his eyes she had only a second to realize, from now on he would be the source of her nightmares instead.

"Damn it," Sakura hissed as she set up.

She had laid down to take a little nap after she finished working on the kunoichi. She should have known better. Sleep wasn't an easy thing anymore; not unless she drank herself into oblivion first. Yuki had wanted her to come to his office, and that was what she should have done. Now she would have to go through the whole day with those grizzly images in her head. Not that she deserved any peace, she thought as she walked towards the door to head to the Daimyou's office before he came home to check on her.

* * *

"I was about to come looking for you," Yuki chided as Sakura finally came through the large double doors.

"Sorry I was a little tired so I took a nap," she told him.

It was back, that haunted look in her lovely green eyes. The look that told Yuki that she was just one step away from bolting and running as far and fast as she could; or from going to the bar and drinking until she wasn't even capable of walking home. He wished that she would finally realize that she couldn't run from herself. He made a hasty decision then and pushed aside the papers that he had been working on.

"Come on Sakura let's go for a walk," he smiled at her.

"You have work to do," she reminded him.

"It can wait, I feel like getting out of this damn office for a little while," he smirked as he stood.

"You are such a slacker," Sakura smiled in return though it failed to reach her eyes.

They walked around the village in silence for a while, the only conversation being when a citizen would approach Yuki. That all stopped however when he turned them down a small street that Sakura had never been down before. They only walked down it a small way before the gates of a cemetery came into view. Sakura felt slightly reluctant to enter it, but followed Yuki as he purposefully lead them to marker with a bench in front of it. Sakura carefully studied the picture of a beautiful woman which was on it.

"Sakura this is Kimiko," Yuki told her as he took a seat on the bench and motioned for her to do the same.

"Who was she?" The pink haired woman quietly asked.

"My fiancé," Yuki answered and watched as Sakura's jade eyes widened.

"What happened to her?" Sakura enquired in no more than a whisper.

"She was a kunoichi, and one day she went on a mission and was badly injured. By the time that her team made it back to the village, she was beyond help," he answered looking a million miles away for a moment.

"I am sorry," the sorrow in her eyes was unmistakable.

"Tell me, who was it that you lost?" Yuki turned his full attention to her again.

"What are you talking about?" Sakura quirked a brow at the sudden question.

"I see the same look in your eyes that I used to have, after I first lost Kimiko," he explained.

"You are mistaken," Sakura's body stiffened before she quickly stood from the bench. She started to walk away but paused. "I was in love once. A foolish one sided love. On my last mission I ran into him, and like always I hesitated when I saw him. I, well, I became lost in his eyes, and he took advantage of it and slaughtered my team. By the time I came to my senses there was nothing left of them to heal."

That said the former kunoichi walked away from him. Yuki was sure that he would wind up having to carry her home from the bar tonight. He had been so certain that he had finally figured out what had hurt her so. But now he realized that the scars that were upon her arms, which she had refused to heal, ran so much deeper than he had previously thought.

"Kimiko," Yuki sighed, "please if you are listening, help me find a way to help her. She is a great kunoichi, or at least she was. If she would have been here then you would still be with me. It is a shame to allow such talent to waste away."


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

The gates of the village were finally within view, and Kakashi knew that he wouldn't have to wait long now to see her. The problem was this was a hidden village, and he was obviously a shinobi from a different land. He supposed that he could always take off his forehead protector, but generally the sight of his eyes caused too many questions. Then again he could try what he was sure that she must have done, and just walk right on in like he had every right to do so.

Walking right in worked like a charm; this village really needed to work on its security. They had just let one of the deadliest shinobi in the world waltz right in, and if she was here they had done so twice now. Kakashi thought about summoning Pakkun to make the search easier, but he still held somewhat of a grudge against the small dog. Not to mention that may be pressing his luck a bit too much.

Then it happened, as he was walking down the street he saw a woman in a light green kimono exit a bar. A woman with pink hair. For a moment his breath was stolen away from him. There she was alive, and from what he could tell uninjured. Kakashi's long search and many sleepless nights had finally come to an end.

"Sakura," he called out as soon as he was able to find his voice.

Her reaction however was not at all what he had expected. She turned and their eyes locked for a split second before what he could only describe as fear crossed her face. Then she was off, running faster than he had ever seen her move, taking to the rooftops almost immediately. He went to give chase, but before he could get more than a few steps three masked shinobi appeared before him with their katanas drawn.

"Stop right there," one of them stepped forward. "You are to report immediately to the Daimyou's office."

"Fine," Kakashi relented not wanting to cause any trouble and risk being tossed out before he could even speak to her.

As he was led away by the trio of shinobi he didn't take his eyes off of her until she turned a corner and he was forced to go the other way.

* * *

"I never would have thought that the famous copy nin would be standing in my office," the man who looked far too young to be the Daimyou said.

"I never would have thought that a Daimyou would be keeping one of my teammates here either," Kakashi countered.

"I am afraid that you are misinformed, I am not keeping anyone here," the Daimyou answered.

"I saw her with my own eyes," Kakashi nearly growled in response.

"If you are talking about Sakura, then you are correct in the fact that she is here. However I am not keeping her against her will," the young man replied. Just then a young woman with purple hair came into the room.

"Lord Yuki she is at home but she refuses to open the door. I am afraid that she seems to be drinking again," she quietly spoke.

"It is alright," the man Kakashi now knew as Yuki assured the woman, "I will go check on her soon."

"I will be going with you," the copy nin insisted once the woman had left the room.

"No you won't," the young man replied. "Sakura is here because she wants to be. She is running from someone. How am I to know that you aren't the one who hurt her so badly?"

"Because I was her sensei damn it, and I am her friend," Kakashi sighed. "I don't know who hurt her. But I am going to find out, and I will make them pay. I just want to make sure that she is alright, and to take her home."

"Let me talk to her," Yuki relented; something in the man's one visible eye had convinced him that he was telling the truth. "I will get you a room in the inn for the night, and I will try to persuade her to meet with you tomorrow."

"Fine," Kakashi had to bite his tongue. He didn't know who this damn kid thought he was trying to keep him from Sakura, but he would see her one way or another. Frankly he didn't care if he had to rip the whole village apart until they threw her at him just to get him to stop. There was no way that he was going to be leaving this place without his favorite student at his side.

* * *

"So just how drunk are you?" Yuki asked the kunoichi who had a blank look on her face when he returned home.

"Very," she slurred her reply, "but not quite enough."

"I met with your former sensei today," he tried to gently broach the subject.

"Yep," she nodded. "I saw your guys stop him. Funny, I was always annoyed that you had your ANBU following me around until today."

"Well Sakura you didn't leave me much of a choice," he sighed. "You never gave me anything but a vague idea of who it was that had caused you so much pain. I had to be sure that no one from your former village was ever allowed to approach you."

"Good job," Sakura's hand shook as she poured herself yet another drink, much to Yuki's dismay.

"Sakura tell me, am I right to guard you from him? Is Kakashi Hatake the one who hurt you so badly?" Yuki had to ask, though after his talk with the infamous copy nin he was almost certain that he had his answer.

"Not directly," she slurred and her eyes seemed even more glazed than they normally were when she was drunk. "But he taught the one who did a lot of his moves. Kakashi himself is harmless though, he would never hurt me."

"Then you will agree to meet with him tomorrow, even if only in my office with me there to mediate," he hoped that she would agree.

"No," she stood up so quickly that her precious liquor fell forgotten to the floor. "I will not see him, and if you try to make me I will leave. Is that it, are you ready for me to go?"

"No Sakura," he sighed as he grabbed her shaking hands. "I am not ready for you to leave. I would like nothing more than for you to stay here; forever if you would like. But, I have to ask myself if that is what is best for you. You are an excellent kunoichi; standing out among even the most elite of the elite. What you have done to yourself saddens me."

"You are wrong," she shook her head as tears began to gather in her eyes. "I used to be an excellent kunoichi, but that is no longer the case. You know as well as I that in this line of work all that it takes is one mission gone wrong to change that."

"No you are wrong," Yuki started to steer the girl towards the stairs. "The rest of the world is always more forgiving than we are of ourselves."

"It doesn't matter," she slurred as she slumped against him. "No matter what you say, no matter what Kakashi says, I can never go back. I failed them. Please Yuki just tell him to leave."

* * *

Kakashi watched everything from his perch on a branch which allowed him to see and hear all that had gone on in the Daimyou's home. So, he now knew what had happened. Well that wasn't exactly true, but at least he knew who had killed his friends, and broken Sakura. He felt blood running down from where his nails had dug into his palms.

When he left this place he had a stop to make before he returned to the Leaf, and Sakura would be going along with him. There was a score that had to be settled, if nothing else than for the sanity of his only female student. Kakashi had known for a long time that he should have handled the situation with his wayward pupil. His reluctance to do so had made too many people pay too high a price. Seeing Sakura like this was the final straw, and finishing his business with the last Uchiha could be the only way to save her from herself. She was like her mentor, Tsunade, in more ways than one and Kakashi knew that this would eat at her for the rest of her life if she didn't face it now. He wouldn't let that happen, Sakura meant far too much to him for that.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

"So?" Kakashi questioned as soon as he stepped into Yuki's office the next morning.

"Why are you asking me? I am sure that from where you set, outside of my home, for the entire night you were able to see the whole conversation," Yuki raised a brow.

"You got me there," Kakashi rubbed the back of his head. "I was able to see everything, including when you told her that you would like for her to stay with you forever. What exactly are your intentions for my student?"

"Former student," the Daimyou couldn't help but to correct the man. "However, my desires concerning Sakura do not matter. The most pressing issue is to ensure that she finds a way to recover."

"So you are going to take me to her?" The copy nin asked the younger man, who was apparently enamored with the pink haired woman. For some reason that fact just rubbed him the wrong way. Daimyou or no Daimyou, he sure as hell wasn't good enough for Sakura.

"No," Yuki sighed. "I am afraid that if I do that she may run from both of us. Then where would we be?"

"I heard that she is the one who handles injured shinobi for you," Kakashi remarked.

"Yes, that was actually one of the original conditions for getting her to stay, but," Yuki stopped in the middle of his statement when much to his horror the man before him withdrew one of his kunai. Without hesitation, or even flinching, the copy nin plunged it into his own stomach, twisting it as he did so to inflict extra damage. "Oh my. If you would have just given me a second, I was going to tell you that I got rid of all of her Sake last night so that she would have to go to the bar today. You could have simply waited and cornered her there."

"Well, we are a little past that now," Kakashi gave one of his signature hidden smiles, even as a massive amount of blood escaped his self-inflicted wound. "If you don't mind I would like to go see her pretty quick, and preferably before she gets too drunk."

"Of course," the Daimyou rushed out of his office with the other shinobi in tow.

* * *

"Really?" Sakura growled as she applied healing chakra to her head while giving Yuki a scathing look.

"Afraid so," he replied, "and you had better hurry, this one is bleeding, a lot."

"Alright," she sighed as she ignored the fact that he was in the room and shrugged out of her sleeping clothes and into a kimono. A sleeveless one. Yuki almost wanted to warn her that she should cover her scars, but he was worried that she might just leave Kakashi to bleed out in his house if he did.

She didn't say another word as she rushed down the stairs to take care of the patient. Falling right into the copy nin's trap.

"What the hell?" Sakura almost yelled as she stepped into her office and saw the large amount of blood pooled on her examine room floor. More alarming was the patient from whom it continued to fall. "Yuki I wanted you to get rid of him, but not like this."

"Well I have to be going," the Daimyou of the hidden village did not want to face the wrath of the sometimes frightening small woman.

"How did this happen?" She questioned as she rushed to Kakashi's side.

"You know I have a natural talent for getting injured," Kakashi smiled at the girl happy that she was at least speaking to him and concerned for his wellbeing.

"This is one of your kunai," Sakura growled when she recognized the black and green cord wrapped around the weapon which still protruded from his abdomen.

"Would you believe me if I told you that I tripped?" He sheepishly enquired.

"If you tried to feed me that line of shit I might just leave you here to bleed out," she remarked as she examined the wound. "Did you have to twist it too?"

"Uh, it wasn't me. It seems that one of their shinobi has somehow mastered the Nara's shadow techniques," Kakashi lamely lied.

"Bull," she replied as she pulled the kunai out a little rougher than she might have, if he had chosen to be honest with her. "After so many years of lying through your teeth you would think that you would have at least gotten a little better at it."

"Alright, alright," Kakashi tried to placate the kunoichi, before she inflicted anymore pain on him. "I just had to see you."

"So this is what you came up with?" Sakura quirked a brow as her hands began to glow green and she started healing her insane patient.

"Would you have ever agreed to see me otherwise?" He asked, as her healing chakra soothed the pain that he had gladly endured to finally be able to really see her.

"No," she sighed. "But this was pointless. As soon as I am done with you I am going to escort you to the door."

"I just want to talk," Kakashi desperately wished that the woman would let him in.

"Well I don't," Sakura didn't even try to hide the harshness from her tone.

"Sakura there are people that are very worried about you," he tried to reason.

"Well, so far as they know I am dead," she looked into his eyes. "You should return to Konoha, and tell them that I am."

"Just tell me one thing. Was it Sasuke who your team encountered that day?" Kakashi wanted confirmation of his suspicions.

"You tell me," Sakura let out a bitter laugh. "Didn't you recognize the results of your own jutsu?"

"I am sorry Sakura," he sighed. "I never should have taught that to him."

"And I never should have trusted him," she had a look of sadness come over her. "You can't beat yourself up for trusting him Kakashi. You taught me the chidori too, and you don't see me running around murdering Leaf shinobi."

"You can't blame yourself either Sakura," the copy nin desperately wanted to comfort the woman whose sorrow was almost tangible. "None of us can help who our heart decides to love."

"You are all finished now," Sakura rose from the chair that she had set in to do her work. "Thank you for coming to find me Kakashi, but I really wish that you wouldn't have. I don't want to return. I am not a kunoichi any longer."

"You can never just stop being a shinobi," the sensei smirked at his former student.

"Just go," Sakura opened the door and waited on the man to walk through it. "I am afraid that you have wasted your time."

Kakashi left like she had requested, but he wasn't discouraged. She was alive though she was obviously hurt, and afraid. However, she had tried to comfort him for teaching the Uchiha one of his deadliest moves. Sakura still cared somewhere deep down, and that had to count for something.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

The next morning Kakashi stumbled through the village on his way to Yuki's office. Perhaps he had over done it this time by not considering the amount of blood that he had already lost yesterday. As soon as he reached the office he ignored the protest of the Daimyou's assistant and walked straight through the door.

"You really must care for Sakura a great deal," Yuki remarked when he saw the outlandish amount of blood hitting his floor from a wound in the copy nin's shoulder.

"I care about all of my students," Kakashi insisted.

"Really, how many of the others have you stabbed yourself repeatedly for?" The younger man questioned as he raised a brow at the legendary shinobi standing before him.

"Well none," the silver haired man answered, "but I haven't had to stab myself for them. Can we have this conversation later? I am starting to feel a little woozy."

As soon as the words had left the man's mouth he crashed to the floor. Yuki was quickly at his side and transported them both to his home.

* * *

"Sakura," he yelled out ignoring their usual ritual of him gently waking her. He wasn't sure that the man he was holding had that long, and he knew for a fact that the medic would never get over it if he died like this. "Sakura you had better get down here fast."

The pink haired woman didn't even bother to change out of her pajamas. If Yuki was yelling at her like this then something had to be terribly wrong. As soon as she made it through the examine room doors and saw the Daimyou himself trying to cease the flow of blood from Kakashi's wound she felt as though she may just throw up.

"Don't even think about it," Yuki spoke more harshly to her than he ever had before after seeing the look that crossed her face. "He needs you to be at your best. You are not a student of one of the Sennin for nothing."

"You are right," Sakura nodded her head and her hands had flared green before she ever reached Kakashi's side.

The kunoichi went into medic mode and stopped even thinking about who it was that she was working to save. She had to, because truly she was too worried about her former sensei to think clearly otherwise. His skin was paler than she had ever seen it. Damn it, he had lost so much blood yesterday, and this stupid little village didn't even have any blood pills that she could have given to him. She never considered that he would repeat his performance today. He was too damn weak to have even tried such a stunt.

As she worked hard enough to form a fine layer of sweat across her brow, she realized this was how desperate he was to talk to her. Sakura had ran away from her issues without considering how badly it would affect her precious people, and now one of them lay under her like this. She still wasn't ready to return to Konoha, but she could have at least talked to him about it. She vowed then and there that after she had healed him she would not shut him out the way that she had before.

"Sakura that was amazing," Yuki declared after she had finally finished mending the wound.

"I am not done yet," she told him as she walked over to the cabinet that he had stocked with some basic medical supplies for her.

"What are you doing?" The Daimyou enquired as he watched her remove a long tube from one of the drawers.

"Transfusion," she replied as she tightened a tourniquet around one of her arms, and plunged a needle into the vein that appeared.

"How do you even know that you are the right blood type?" Yuki was a little concerned that she could do more harm than good.

"We have had to do this more than once in the field," Sakura shrugged as she placed a needle in Kakashi's vein. The blood immediately began to flow straight from her veins into his.

"Is there anything that I can do for you?" He wanted to help her in any way that he could.

''No," she didn't take her eyes off of Kakashi. "It will just take time now."

"I will leave you with him then, but I will send over an ANBU member to notify me if you need anything," he gave her a small smile.

"Thank you," Sakura smiled back at the man who had become one of her truest friends, even in the short time that she had known him.

* * *

"Sakura," the copy nin called out when he opened his eyes and saw the pink haired woman curled up in a chair next to his bed. She was giving him her blood, and judging by the fact that he felt as good as he already did she had already given him too much.

"Kakashi," she raised her head to look at him. "How are you feeling?"

"Much better," he told her. "Now stop the transfusion before you overdo it."

"Not quite yet," she shook her head, "just give it a few more minutes. You lost a lot of blood."

"I am not going to have you hurt yourself," he declared as he pulled the needle from his own vein. "Now stop it before you get blood everywhere."

"You are the most stubborn damn man that I know," she grumbled as she removed the needle from herself.

"No I am not," he defended. "You are just such a stubborn woman that you make me be this way."

"Sure," she smirked as she stood up to place a bandage on his arm. The problem was she had given him perhaps a tad too much blood. She felt herself swoon as she made it to his side.

"I got ya," Kakashi declared as he wrapped his strong arm around her waist to keep her from falling.

He pulled her down so that she was lying next to him, and watched as she carefully tended to his arm. When she was done she curled up on her side and silently lay next to him. It was something that they had been forced to do on several missions to share warmth through bitterly cold nights when making a fire was out of the question.

Kakashi was soothed by the fact that she still smelled the same as she always had. Even when Sakura decided to take a hiatus from her village, she still found a way to find her favorite shampoo which had a flowery scent to it. He had always thought that it was a most fitting fragrance for her. Now he finally felt at peace. He had felt a great sense of relief when he had first laid his eyes on her, but while holding her like this he knew that they could get through anything.

Sakura had lost her team. Kakashi knew the feeling well; survivors guilt. If allowed to continue like this, he knew for a fact, it could eat away at a shinobi's very soul. The copy nin himself was so damaged by the events with his first team that he had locked himself up and allowed no one in. No one, until Team 7 changed that. This woman, who had once been the little girl who set on his back countless times, was one of the few people that he considered precious to him. There was no way that he would allow himself to lose her. He would personally walk through hell to help her face her demons.

"Sakura we need to talk," he whispered.

"I know," she acknowledged, "but not right now. I promise that I will talk to you though, so just don't hurt yourself again."

"Alright," he couldn't help but to chuckle. He was getting a little tired of having to injure himself anytime that he wanted to see her. It had been worth it though. Kakashi had found himself in far worse shape, for far less important reasons.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

A/N: So today is my birthday :) Being the sweet person that I am I decided to give you guys a gift; the rest of this story. A fantastic gift to me would be reviews. I thought that this was a strange pairing when I started writing it, but I had so much fun doing it. I think that eventually I may just try to do another Kakashi/Sakura, they are just so cute together.

* * *

When Yuki returned from work that evening he went straight to Sakura's workroom to check on her sensei. He didn't expect to find them both sleeping on the small bed that he had put in for her patients. He sighed as he quietly closed the door. He had asked Kimiko to help him find a way to help the pink haired medic, but he couldn't help the pang of jealousy that the sight had caused. What he had seen was not a sensei holding his student. No, the way that the copy nin's arm had been wrapped protectively around her was definitely a man protecting his woman. Yuki didn't think that either of them realized that there could be anything more than the close bonds that are formed between teammates. Perhaps, he should make a move before they could see what was there.

* * *

"How are you feeling?" Sakura asked when she woke up and started checking her patients vital signs.

"Much better thanks to my excellent doctor," Kakashi gave her his signature smile.

"Well if you ever stab yourself again, I am going to give you a beating that you won't forget after I heal your ass," she threatened.

"I won't have to now that you have agreed to talk to me," he tried to calm her before her notorious temper could emerge. "How are you feeling this morning? You overdid it again yesterday."

"I feel fine," she assured him, and it was the truth. Last night was the first time since that horrible day that she had been able to sleep without being haunted by her teammates dead eyes, unless she drank herself to the verge of a coma.

"Good," he smirked. "So when are we going to talk?"

"I need a shower first," she told him. "If you feel up to it there is probably some breakfast in the kitchen while you wait for me."

"Alright," Kakashi nodded his head as he stood up from the bed and opened the door, waiting for her to exit before following her out.

* * *

"Good morning," Yuki greeted as Kakashi walked into the kitchen. "You are looking much better. Where is Sakura?"

"She went to clean up," the copy nin informed the man as he set at one of the plates that was already set at the table.

"So tell me Mr. Hatake, is it customary for you to sleep with your students? Or do you make a special exception for Sakura?" The Daimyou asked the older man.

"I sleep with them all," Kakashi smiled at the man even though what he really wanted to do was rip his throat out, "I also am known for reading porn in public. But what about you? Is it normal for you to move beautiful kunoichi who are running from their country into your home?"

"No," Yuki replied, "I made an exception for Sakura."

"I see," Kakashi already had a feeling that the Daimyou may want more from Sakura than he was letting on, and he had just confirmed it.

"Good morning," Sakura greeted as she walked into the kitchen, her hair still wet from showering.

"You are looking well this morning Sakura," Yuki smiled at her. "Almost as though you didn't drink last night."

"I didn't," she replied as she set down to eat. "Kakashi had me so worn out last night that I couldn't even think about drinking. I am so glad that you made breakfast I am famished."

"What did you say?" Yuki choked on the bite of food that had been in his mouth when Sakura made her comment.

"She said that I wore her out," Kakashi smiled at the man. "I have a tendency to do that."

"Yes you do," the kunoichi who had no idea the way that her statements were being taken agreed.

"Well I promise to take it easy on you at least for the next few days," Kakashi didn't take his eye off of the Daimyou's face and was having a hard time not laughing out loud.

"That would be nice, but knowing you it is unlikely," Sakura smirked, and the copy nin took great joy in the way that the other man's eyes continued to grow larger.

"Sakura," Yuki suddenly blurted out. "Do you remember that treaty that you promised to help me look over? I really have to do it this morning, and I was hoping that you wouldn't mind coming to the office with me."

"Sakura and I have plans today," Kakashi answered for her.

"I am sure that we can put off our talk for just a little while," Sakura said. "Yuki needs me this morning. I will meet with you after lunch."

"Great," Yuki smiled as he practically drug Sakura away from the table, and the horrible man who still remained at it.

* * *

"This all looks good," Sakura declared after several hours of reading over the trade treaty that the Daimyou had requested her help on.

"Your help is greatly appreciated," Yuki smiled at the pink haired beauty that set on the edge of his desk. "The knowledge that you gained working under Tsunade is most valuable."

"It is nothing," Sakura waved off his praise as she stood and started for the door.

"Where are you going?" Yuki asked her before she could leave.

"Well, since we are done here I guess that I will go ahead and find Kakashi," she told him.

"Sakura don't go," he blurted out. "I just have to tell you that I do not think that Kakashi is the right man for you. Any sensei, former or not, who could do such deranged things with his student has something wrong with him."

"What are you talking about?" Sakura's eyes widened.

"The conversation that you two had at the table this morning," Yuki sighed. "Sakura, even if you two have a relationship of that sort, he should not speak of you like that in front of others."

It all clicked into place for Sakura then. The easy banter over breakfast and the smile that never left Kakashi's face. He had known the whole time what he was leading Yuki to believe, and he had sucked her right into it.

"There is nothing like that going on," the vein in Sakura's head visibly pulsed.

"I am sorry Sakura, please don't be angry with me," the Daimyou apologized.

"Oh I'm not," she assured him as she stormed towards the door.

"Where are you going?" Yuki was worried about her leaving the office in such a state.

"To teach someone a lesson," Sakura replied over her shoulder before closing the door a little harder than was necessary.

* * *

"You bastard," Sakura proclaimed as she punched the copy nin squarely in the jaw. "What the hell is wrong with you?"

"Nothing other than a broken jaw," Kakashi answered as he gathered himself up off the ground. Sakura had always packed a hell of a punch, and that was before Tsunade gotten her hands on her.

"You are unbelievable," she hissed. "You knew damn good and well what you were leading Yuki to believe this morning, and you just kept going."

"To be fair you played your part quite well," the copy nin smiled.

"Because I had no clue as to what was going on. Don't you dare drag me into one of your pissing contests ever again," she growled as Kakashi caught her fist stopping the next punch that she had aimed for his face.

"Sakura I was merely trying to dissuade him," he defended. "That kid has such a thing for you that it isn't even funny. If it isn't stopped now then it will hurt him when you return to Konoha."

"I am not going back to Konoha," she sighed as the urge to rip his head off left her. "Kakashi, I am not a kunoichi anymore. After what happened I don't think that I can ever fight again."

"Could have fooled me," Kakashi smirked while rubbing his chin.

"Getting angry and knocking your lights out is a lot different than taking missions," Sakura sighed as she took a seat on a bench in the park which she had found him in. "Kakashi, I failed and I can't risk ever endangering a team again. As long as he is out there I am useless."

"Then let's go get him," Kakashi looked into her eyes.

"I can't," she felt tears gathering in her eyes. "Every time I see him I freeze. My silly heart still can't get over the past. No matter how bad I want to hurt him, to kill him, I just can't."

"I have the same problem," Kakashi admitted as he took a seat next to her. "I should have handled him years ago, but I could never see past the little boy who first came under my care. If I would have done what I should have years ago none of this ever would have happened."

"Don't do that Kakashi," Sakura couldn't help but to want to comfort the man. "Sai and Yamato are dead because of me, not you. It was me that failed them, you weren't even there."

"But I should have been," Kakashi studied her closely. "You asked me to rejoin ANBU and I didn't. Sakura you may feel like you failed your team, but I know that I failed you."

"I just want to go home," Sakura suddenly felt exhausted by everything.

"I'll take you," the copy nin stood up and gently took the arm of his favorite student. He had failed her, but he damn sure wouldn't again.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Kakashi led Sakura all the way up to her room, and started to leave then to give her some space when something stopped him. There were tears gathered in her eyes, though she was bravely holding them at bay. If he walked away now she would let them fall once she was alone. Without thinking, and receiving surprisingly little resistance, he scooped her up into his arms and went into her room kicking the door shut behind him. This time she wouldn't be alone; he would gladly give her his shoulder to cry on.

"You must think that I am so weak," Sakura was finally able to speak, after spending several minutes curled on the bed in Kakashi's arms. She was sure that her tears must have soaked through his shirt.

"Never," he instantly replied. "I will never think that you are weak Sakura. Do you think that I am weak?"

"Of course not," she shook her head, "you are one of the strongest people that I have ever known."

"I cried every night for months after the mission that we lost Obito on," he told her.

"Does it ever end?" She questioned.

"I still dream about that day," he admitted. "Sakura, I let that one failure define me for the rest of my life. Some of the lessons that I took away from it have made me a better man. But, I also allowed those events to make me close myself off from the rest of the world. I don't want that for you."

"I just want to hide," the kunoichi sighed. "From my failure, from the eyes of the rest of Konoha, but most importantly from myself. Why couldn't you just let me hide?"

"Because it is the worst thing that you can do," Kakashi rubbed soothing circles on her back.

"Says the man who wears a mask," Sakura found his advice kind of ironic.

Kakashi stilled for a moment and looked at her. It didn't take him long to come to his decision. He raised a hand, surprised to find that it was shaking, and removed his forehead protector. He stared at her with his mismatched eyes as he moved the same shaking hand to the edge of his mask, only to have Sakura's own small hand grab it.

"No," she told him, "you don't have to do that for me. I can only imagine how hard it is to even think of removing it."

"I won't hide from you anymore Sakura," he whispered, "as long as you don't hide from me."

With her hand still holding on to his he pulled down the small piece of fabric that had been his shield from the world for almost as long as he could remember.

Sakura was in shock. So many times she and Naruto had made bets on what their sensei looked like beneath that mask, but they had booth been wrong. There were no buck teeth or fish lips. No, he was actually so handsome that he put most men that she knew to shame. Carefully she studied his features not knowing if she would ever get to see them again, but never wanting to forget them. He seemed to be examining her as closely as she was him. Finally he ran one of his calloused hands over the scars on her arms.

"Why did you not heal these?" Kakashi quietly inquired about the scars that he had seen the first time that she healed him.

"Some scars never heal," she replied as she boldly raised a hand and ran her fingers over the scar that ran down his face.

"No they don't," Kakashi smiled, and for the first time Sakura was able to see its full glory. To put it simply, it stole her breath.

"You shouldn't hide," Sakura whispered.

"And neither should you," he answered just before they both heard the door downstairs open, and Sakura climbed out of the bed to wash away the evidence of what she viewed as her weakness.

* * *

"Sakura are you alright?" Yuki enquired. "I was really worried when you left the office, you seemed quite angry."

"I was," Sakura nodded, "but I am alright now, or at least I think that I will be."

"You will be fine once we get you back to Konoha," Kakashi who had followed her closely down the stairs piped in.

"You are leaving?" Yuki raised a brow. Kakashi noticed the sadness that crossed the young man's face at the thought, but Sakura seemed oblivious. She never seemed to see how much she affected those around her.

"Not yet," Sakura looked at her former sensei as she answered. "I am not ready for that quite yet."

"But you do plan on leaving," Yuki remarked.

"I think that I always did," she nodded, "I just needed someone to remind me that I couldn't hide forever. However, before I go I would like to choose a few good candidates to train in at least some basic medical ninjutsu. If used correctly in the field it should be able to stabilize your shinobi until they are able to get proper treatment. Once I am back in Konoha I will talk to Tsunade about having you send a few more shinobi there to give further training to. "

"That would be greatly appreciated," the Daimyou smiled at her. As leader of his village, having someone as talented as Sakura instruct his shinobi would be a great asset. As a man, he couldn't help but to not want her to leave.

"Great, maybe Kakashi and I can evaluate some possible candidates tomorrow," she suggested.

"I wasn't aware that Kakashi was skilled in the medical arts," the Daimyou gave her a quizzical look.

"I wouldn't say that I am exactly skilled," Kakashi rubbed the back of his head, "but, I have copied a few of Sakura's most basic skills."

"Of course you have," Yuki quipped.

"He saved my life a couple of times with those copied moves," the kunoichi informed the man.

"Then I am grateful that he chose to copy them," he gave her a genuine smile. "If there is anything that would help the two of you just let me know."

"Actually there is one thing," Kakashi spoke up. "Do you know of any good restaurants? I would like to take Sakura out for dinner tonight, to discuss the best way to go about training her recruits.

"Of course," the Daimyou gave him the name of a restaurant and directions to it, knowing that he would be the one to look like an ass if he refused. It was a restaurant that he had always wanted to take Sakura to, but until the arrival of her sensei she had not been willing to go anywhere, other than the bar or home.

* * *

"What exactly was that all about?" Sakura asked Kakashi once they were seated in the back of the restaurant, with her against the wall and Kakashi's back to the rest of the customers. "There is nothing for us to discuss about training possible med nins."

"I know," Kakashi nodded his head, "thanks for not arguing about it in front of him though."

Before he could actually answer her question a waitress came up to take their order. As far as Sakura was concerned she paid far too much attention to Kakashi, and far too little to her. She didn't even want to imagine how the woman would act if she too had seen his face. By the time that the flirtatious woman left the pink haired kunoichi had crossed her arms in frustration.

"Think you were friendly enough?" Sakura quirked a brow.

"Wouldn't want anyone spitting in our food now would we?" Kakashi gave her one of his, what she now knew to be, brilliant smiles. "Anyways I brought you here to talk about your little friend Yuki."

"What about him?" Sakura sighed almost flustered that he was going to start this conversation again.

"I am telling you Sakura that he really does have a thing for you. You are notorious for being blind about these things," he told her.

"I am not blind about these things," Sakura argued after the waitress had delivered their food and left. "You are the blind one, just look at how she was gushing all over you and you just shrug it off."

"Oh I am aware of exactly the reaction people have to me," Kakashi smirked. "I just choose to ignore it. I don't let people in Sakura. You are the first person to have seen my face since I lost my father. I get what I want from women, and make sure that they have a damn good time too, but never more than once. You however aren't the same, as far as Yuki is concerned, he thinks that you have already let him in. You are playing with fire."

"I am not," Sakura started to argue further, but she had looked down in embarrassment when he spoke of his relationships. When she looked up he had his mask down and she was taken off guard.

"Don't act so surprised Sakura," the copy nin smirked at her reaction. "We made a deal remember. I am not going to close you out any longer, as long as you do the same for me."

"I remember," the kunoichi sighed as she looked past him and caught sight of the waitress and her flawless skin again. For the first time, and for reasons that she couldn't explain, she felt self-conscious about her own scarred flesh.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

"Good morning Sakura," Yuki declined to acknowledge the copy nin's presence when they walked into his office, "I took the liberty of pulling the files of a few shinobi, who I think are good candidates for you to look at."

"Thank you," Sakura smiled at her friend as he passed her the files which he had gathered for her.

"You are more than welcome," he returned her smile. "I have also provided a room at the academy, as well as one of my ANBU officers to assist you in any way that you may need."

"Perfect," the pink haired woman commented. "I guess that we will get to work then."

Kakashi gave the man a look before he left the office. Sakura may not have taken note of the fact that he didn't acknowledge him, but the copy nin sure had. He hoped that the kunoichi found likely candidates who were also fast learners. He wanted to finish this and convince her to return home before the man could make a move.

* * *

"That is good," Sakura remarked as she leaned over the shoulder of one of the shinobi that she was evaluating. "Report to me first thing in the morning I believe that you have a natural talent."

"Thank you Lady Sakura," the young man with honey colored eyes smiled at the woman before standing and leaving the room.

"What?" Kakashi questioned when he noticed Sakura look at him and realized that she had spoken.

"I said that he was the last one for us to look at," Sakura sighed. "Honestly Kakashi, you have been distracted all day. Sometimes I think that you need to throw that book away. When you read it you ignore the rest of the world."

"Sorry," he apologized. "How about we go and get a bite to eat you have been working hard all day."

Truly though he thought that she was the one who should be apologizing. He had been happy this morning to see that she was again wearing her shinobi attire, instead of the kimonos that he had seen her in since his arrival. But even now as he walked behind her he realized what a distraction that outfit could be.

The way that the tight fitting ANBU pants hugged her, and drew attention to her lithe frame as her hips naturally swayed from side to side should be a crime. And that wasn't even half as bad as the top. The mesh which covered her reminded him over and over throughout the day that Sakura was like Tsunade in oh so many ways; two of which kept popping into his mind. Exactly when the heck had Sakura grown so much? And which layer of hell would he be sent to for noticing? He was her sensei, he should not be allowing such thoughts, but damn it all he was still a man. A man who, for the first time today, had noticed exactly how much of a woman Sakura had become.

* * *

"I think that I need to examine you when we leave here," Sakura commented half way through their meal in the same restaurant that they had dined in the night before.

"What?" Kakashi choked out as visions of Sakura playing doctor with him raced through his deranged mind.

"Last night you flirted your ass off, and tonight you have barely even spared the waitress a glance," the kunoichi explained as she licked a piece of dango, and made her companion almost groan in frustration.

"Always keep them guessing," Kakashi replied, "never let them know what to expect."

"She probably spit in your food," Sakura smirked at her sensei.

"Or yours," the copy nin remarked earning a scowl from his pink haired companion.

"Here is your bill," the waitress said as she came to their table and set down the small piece of paper, before giving Sakura a dirty look and quickly walking away.

"What the hell is her problem with me?" Sakura growled as she grabbed the bill from the table.

"Jealousy," Kakashi honestly answered as he snatched the bill away from her.

"I can't think of a single reason that she could have to be jealous of me" Sakura remarked. The copy nin didn't miss the look that she gave her arms.

"Funny I could think of about a thousand right off the top of my head," he remarked before he could stop himself.

"You are just saying that because you are my sensei, so you have to see my good qualities," she still couldn't help but to blush at his words.

"Sakura, I haven't been your sensei for many years, and never forget that you are a beautiful woman," he figured that he had already said too muc,h so what more could telling her the truth hurt. "Now come on let me get you home."

"I think that I can walk myself," Sakura commented as they walked out into the night.

Truth be told she needed to clear her head. When Kakashi had said those things to her, even though she knew he only said them because he was her friend, she had a feeling that she hadn't felt in a long time. Not since those rare occasions when Sasuke would offer her praise, before he left the village.

"Alright," the copy nin shrugged though he still had every intention of at least following her home whether she knew it or not. "See you first thing in the morning?"

"Of course," she replied, "I have a lot of work to do and I don't trust you to stay out of trouble without me."

* * *

Kakashi watched as Yuki warmly greeted Sakura and she gave him a heartwarming smile in return. It made his blood boil. What right did that fool have to act so familiar with her? What right did he have to let it bother him so?

He needed a release; that was his problem. He was a man with needs after all, and he had been on the trail of the pink haired woman for a long time. His natural urges being denied the whole time. That was why he was so hyper aware of Sakura he told himself. Yes a release was definitely called for, and he had a pretty good idea of exactly where he could find one.

He walked back into the restaurant and straight to the waitress, who he knew damn good and well was attracted to him. She wasn't so bad to look at herself. Without a word he handed her the key to his room. It was less than an hour later when the door opened and she stepped through.

"No," Kakashi bit out perhaps a bit more harshly than necessary when her delicate hand went to pull down his mask. The last bit of clothing on either of them.

She didn't try to take it off again and he showed her exactly how well he could satisfy, even with the small piece of fabric over his lips. However, Kakashi knew that he was in over his head when no less than three times he looked into her brown eyes and instead saw green. More than once her dark hair took on a pink shine.

It was official Kakashi Hatake wanted Sakura Haruno. The one woman that he could never have. The one person that he had allowed to see underneath the underneath. Because if he took her the way that he wanted he would have to push her away, and he knew that there was no way that he could ever do that. He had promised her that he would never hide from her again, and his promises to Sakura were far more important than any desires.

* * *

"Lord Yuki," an ANBU officer appeared in his bedroom in the middle of the night with a cloud of smoke around him.

"Yes," Yuki rubbed his tired eyes almost annoyed at the appearance of the shinobi.

"Forgive me for disturbing you so late, but your orders were to let you know the minute that anything interesting happened with the Leaf shinobi," the officer handed over a stack of photos.

"Good job," Yuki smiled as he looked through the stack of pictures. He could definitely use these to his advantage. Now he simply had to wait until they would be most effective against the man. "Continue your surveillance."

"As you wish," the shinobi's exit was as quiet as his entrance had been. He and his fellow officers would ensure that the copy nin didn't make a single step that their Lord did not know of.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

"Again," Sakura ordered her students who had already performed the same task at least fifty times that day. They were lucky, if she planned on training them as extensively as Tsunade had trained her they would be going through hundreds of fish a day.

"Really?" Kakashi quirked a brow at the pink haired woman. The woman who had unknowingly forced him to put away his favorite book. Every time he got to the good scenes the woman his mind envisioned had pink hair.

"This is mild compared to my training," she shrugged.

"And here I thought that I was a slave driver," Kakashi remarked.

"You are far too lazy to ever be a slave driver," Sakura deadpanned.

"How you hurt your poor old sensei," Kakashi put his hand over his chest in mock pain.

"Right," Sakura couldn't help but to roll her eyes at his dramatics. "If you are that bored why don't you just read your damned book?"

"Because I am trying to cut back," he couldn't stop his voice from raising an octave as the images of a pink haired woman and silver haired man intertwined danced through his mind. "Someone told me that I read it too much."

"Everyone tells you that you read it too much," Sakura laughed. It was the first genuine laugh that he had heard from her since he found her.

"I have an idea," the copy nin told her. He had been thinking long and hard about the fact that she was afraid to become an active kunoichi again. So far as he could see it she just needed to remember what an excellent kunoichi she was, and feel that addictive rush that one could only feel when facing a skilled enemy. "Does this place have any training grounds?"

"Of course," Sakura replied after subtly adjusting one of her student's hands. "It is a shinobi village."

"Great," he smiled. "After we are finished here today I want to spar."

"I will ask Yuki to find someone for you to train with," Sakura offered.

"I want to spar with you," the copy nin corrected.

"Kakashi," she seemed a little shaken by his request, "I am sure that Yuki will be more than happy to provide you someone to work with."

"I feel like I am getting rusty," his gaze held her own, "I need to really spar, and there isn't a single shinobi in this whole village as talented as you. To fight anyone else would be child play. I want a challenge."

"Fine," Sakura relented, knowing that if she didn't he was likely to annoy her to death. "But, the fact that I am willing to spar with you doesn't change anything."

"Of course not," he innocently agreed; though he smirked on the inside. Sakura, had just fallen straight into his trap.

* * *

"So how do you want to go about this?" Sakura questioned as she pulled her gloves onto her hands and strapped her kunai holster onto her thigh; something she hadn't done since she arrived in this village.

"The same way we always do," Kakashi offered her an eye crinkling smile. "Don't hold back, because if you do you might get hurt."

"Just remember that you asked for this when I am healing you later," Sakura smirked.

The predatory gleam that entered her eyes sent a shiver down Kakashi's spine. His plan was going to work perfectly. Being a shinobi was in Sakura's blood he just had to remind her of that fact, and help her learn to trust herself again. His mind was forced back to the task at hand when the woman with the deadly look on her face plunged her fist into the ground, and he had to leap out of the way to avoid injury. Before he could even regain his footing he withdrew his katana to block her own which was arching down at him.

She held her blade steady with one hand while the other lashed out with her chakra scalpels gashing the same shoulder that she had healed mere days before. Sakura had drawn first blood. There was a time when that would have shocked him, but those days were long gone. The smile that crossed her face caused a mirror image on his own. She was loving every second of this, just as he knew that she would. It wouldn't be long before the life of a shinobi seduced her back into its ranks.

The two moved expertly together blades clashing in a deadly dance that they performed without flaw. Finally he struck her with a kunai. As the blood dripped down her arm the score evened out. Then he saw an opening and pinned her to the ground.

"Got you," his face was mere inches from hers.

"Not quite," she smirked as she vanished from beneath him and he quickly rolled over and raised his kunai, deflecting the one that the real Sakura was wielding.

The two leapt apart allowing each of them a chance to call forth a jutsu. In a true test Kakashi flew through a series of seals, and the sound of chirping birds filled the air. This was the move that had destroyed at least one member of her team. If she could face this then she could get past her mental block.

"That's my girl," he smiled as without batting an eye she raced head on towards him while still performing her own seals.

A glowing blue light grew in the kunoichi's own hand. So not only could she face the move, but she was still confident enough to use it herself. However before they could reach each other a hand which was definitely not Sakura's wrapped around his wrist. Both of the participants in the match allowed their jutsu to fade away.

"What the hell is going on?" Yuki demanded, with a fire that Kakashi had yet to witness from the young Daimyou.

"Calm down," Sakura came over and placed her hand gently on his wrist to get him to remove his grasp on Kakashi. "We were just having a friendly spar."

"Could have fooled me," the man remarked as he took in the injuries on both of them. He then looked around and noticed the devastation that had been wrought on his training grounds. "This place is destroyed."

"Sorry," Sakura nervously rubbed the back of her head. "I am afraid that was my doing."

The kunoichi didn't have to tell him that. The minute that his ANBU members had informed him that Kakashi and the medic had been fighting he had rushed to the scene. Once he had arrived he had decided that it was a sparring match, and he had simply watched in awe.

He had never doubted the beautiful woman's skills, but now he knew exactly why she had made it into the bingo books. With his own eyes he was finally able to witness the extent of deadly skill that her fragile exotic looks concealed. However, when he saw the copy nin call on his infamous chidori and Sakura do the same he wondered if he had indeed misinterpreted the friendliness of the battle that captivated him. Yuki had been unable to stop himself from jumping in to protect her.

"It is alright," the Daimyou insisted. "I was simply concerned that things were getting out of hand."

"I would never hurt Sakura," Kakashi felt his anger reach a new level at the mere implication that he would ever hurt the woman.

"I am not so sure about that," the look on the Daimyou's face sent off a warning bell in the back of Kakashi's mind. "You two should come back to the house so that you can tend to your injuries."

"That isn't necessary," Sakura assured him. "I have healed much worse than this in the field, I am always famished after this intense of a training session and the healing that always follows. We will probably grab something to eat before I return."

"True, but it is always easier when you have all that medical stuff at your disposal. Not to mention we have made Yuki here eat alone for the past few nights," Kakashi quickly spoke up.

Truth be told taking Sakura around the waitress, whose name he couldn't recall, didn't set well with him and that was the only good restaurant that he knew of. He wasn't afraid of hurting the other woman, really he could care less, but for some reason the thought of Sakura finding out exactly what he had done didn't set well with him.

"I am sure that would be preferable," the look that Yuki gave him told Kakashi all that he needed to know.

The Daimyou knew exactly what had transpired. The copy nin swore then and there that if he ever tried to use that information to somehow harm Sakura, he would rip the man's throat out.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

The next several weeks passed much the same way as they had for the pair of Leaf shinobi that were far away from their home. Sakura would instruct her students, whom she would be finished with after just a few more lessons. After that they would unleash their inner shinobi by sparring against each other as though they were the worst of enemies. As for Kakashi, Sakura and all of the temptation that she represented, refused to leave his mind. Finally one day as she set there mending their wounds he decided to bring up a subject which had been ignored for too long.

"Sakura," his gentle tone instantly captured her full attention, "there is something that I have to ask you, but I am afraid that you may not like it."

"Go ahead," the kunoichi had known that this day would come eventually.

"What happened that day?" Kakashi asked her hoping that she wouldn't bolt on him.

"Well," she sighed after bracing herself, "Sasuke found us, and he wanted something from me. I refused and the fight began. Sai and Yamato they both fought bravely, but against a monster like him it wasn't enough. Sai went down, but he was still alive. When I started to make my way to him Sasuke called my name like an idiot I looked up at him, and straight into his eyes. He didn't torture me. He didn't have to. By the time that he released me from his genjutsu they were both gone. Slaughtered in cold blood, for nothing more than to teach me a lesson. The next time I encounter him I am not allowed to deny his demands."

"What does he want from you?" The copy nin was almost afraid to hear her answer.

"For me to bare him an heir," Sakura's answer was so quiet, that if not for his heightened sense of hearing he may have never heard her.

That was it, all of the things that he had been feeling for Sakura refused at that point to be ignored any longer. She was his, whether she knew it or not, and the thought that Sasuke wanted to use her for such a repulsive purpose caused the dam to break. Without asking permission he pulled down his mask and leaned in capturing her lips in his first kiss, not obscured by the thin piece of cloth.

He was worried for a split second, but he needn't have been. Sakura returned the tender kiss in kind. Kakashi had known that if he crossed this line with her there would be no turning back. Because, as they held each other he knew that he could never except her being like this with another man. Not Sasuke, damn sure not Yuki, and not even Naruto whom he had no doubt loved her dearly.

No, he had already opened himself entirely to the kunoichi whom he now caressed, and she had done the same with him. After knowing someone so completely and being accepted despite his many flaws, there could never be another. Even if she ever decided to leave him no other could ever hope to take her place in his arms, let alone his heart which she would always be the first and only to possess.

"You are so beautiful," he whispered when at last they had to break apart for air. He noticed her tug uncomfortably at her sleeves after his statement so he grabbed her hands, and kissed every scar on her arms. "These only make you more so. They speak of your strength. Your unwillingness to give in no matter what. Sakura, they are a part of who you are, and you are flawless."

"Kakashi," she breathed out. She wanted so badly to tell him what he meant to her, but she couldn't think of words sufficient enough. So instead she decided to show him.

As she reached up and started to pull the shirt over her head Kakashi considered stopping her and taking her back to his room, where she would be shielded from any possible prying eyes. But he couldn't. That bed had been tainted and he refused to take her in it. Instead he watched her as she removed the shirt; everything else quickly followed.

It took every ounce of strength that he had not to rush things. Sakura deserved more than that; he would take his time with her. Kakashi was going to worship every inch of her as though she were a goddess sent down strictly for him, because to him she was. After spending ample time ensuring that her body would be ready for his entrance, he finally slowly filled her. His eyes widened as he hit a barrier. He knew then that he was her first, just as surely as he knew that he would be her only.

* * *

"Are you sure that you have to go?" Sakura questioned as the two stood on the porch of Yuki's house.

"Positive," Kakashi chuckled as he pressed her against the wall and kissed her neck. "I am sure that Yuki wouldn't appreciate having me stay the night under his roof."

"Then maybe I should just go with you," truly she simply wanted nothing more than to spend the whole night in the man's arms.

"No," Kakashi quickly replied. He couldn't forget the fact that his current bed still reeked of another woman. Suddenly he was grateful that his home in Konoha had been destroyed. When they returned he would purchase a new one, and it would belong only to him and the woman currently in his arms. "I promise that when we get home you can spend every night with me."

"Alright," she finally relented before quickly kissing him and entering the house. She couldn't risk staying in his presence any longer, or she might just start something that neither of them could stop.

The kunoichi couldn't help but to smile her whole way up the stairs. Sure she had loved before, but she had never known what it was like to be loved. Kakashi hadn't spoken the words out loud, but his eyes had told her all that she needed to know. Sakura now knew what it felt like to be cherished, and it was a feeling that she never wanted to end.

Something in the back of her mind tried to tell her that this should be weird. Kakashi had been her sensei after all. But for her that just made it all the more natural and meaningful. He was a man that had seen her at her weakest, but it didn't matter to him at all. He knew her more deeply than anyone could ever hope to, and she was so honored that he had allowed her to come to know him just as well. If not for the fact that they had been in each other's life for so many years then he undoubtedly never would have let her in.

For once in her life Sakura didn't give a shit about what the rest of the world might think. She loved Kakashi as completely as he loved her, and as far as she was concerned everyone else could go to hell. She was happy, truly happy, and selfish or not she wasn't willing to let that go.

* * *

"Leave me," an enraged Yuki demanded as he crushed a new batch of pictures in his hand.

First he had found out the terrible news that he had earlier, and now this. Worse yet, he was going to be forced to ask for help from the vile being himself. But, he vowed that by the time that Kakashi had finished helping him Sakura would never want to touch him again. He was no fool, he knew that what he had to tell her would probably crush her, but over time he would erase all memories of the copy nin from her mind.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

"Thank you both for coming by this morning," Yuki greeted Sakura and Kakashi when they came into his office. He had asked Sakura along because he knew that if he made his request of the copy nin without her there he would risk having her temper turned on him.

"No problem," Sakura smiled at her friend. "Did you want a report on your new medic shinobi?"

"No," the Daimyou returned the kunoichi's smile. "I am certain that under your instruction they are coming along quite nicely. But, I am afraid that there is a matter of great concern."

"What is it?" Sakura didn't like the seriousness which was quite uncommon for the man.

"We have had two ANBU squads attacked during border patrol on our eastern border," Yuki sighed. "There has only been one survivor."

"I haven't treated any ANBU lately," Sakura remarked.

"Because he didn't live long enough to make it to you," the Daimyou had a sad look in his eyes, "but, he did manage to inform us that the shinobi that they had faced were from Sound."

"Sound?" Sakura could literally feel her skin getting paler.

"Was he able to give you any more detail?" Kakashi spoke up.

"Nothing, other than the fact that they faced a four man squad," Yuki shook his head.

"What do you want us to do?" Sakura found that her mouth was far too dry.

"He wants me to go out with a squad to eliminate the threat," the copy nin answered before the other man could.

"Is that true?" The kunoichi asked her troubled friend.

"I am afraid so," Yuki nodded his head, "if I had another option than I wouldn't ask."

"When do you want us to head out?" Kakashi was in all business mode.

"The squad that I will send you with is ready to leave as soon as you are," the Daimyou informed him. "This isn't a threat that can be taken lightly."

"I will be ready to leave in less than an hour," the elite shinobi responded as he turned to leave the office followed closely by Sakura.

* * *

"Kakashi wait," she said as they exited the building. "I should go with you."

"Are you ready for that?" He asked; her hesitation was all the answer that he needed. "You are staying here. You aren't ready yet Sakura."

"But he could be there," Sakura couldn't even speak his name.

"All the more reason for you to stay here," he told her as he brushed the hair away from her face.

"But what if?" The kunoichi couldn't even finish her question.

"You know that our lives will always be filled with uncertainty Sakura," Kakashi took her hands into his. "But, I promise you that I will come back to you this time. I won't hesitate or hold back even if he is there; we have a score to settle."

Sakura couldn't think of anything else to say, so instead right there on the streets in front of everyone, she wrapped her arms around him and pulled him into a searing kiss. Kakashi for his part didn't hesitate to return it in kind and by the time they pulled apart the were both panting to catch their breath.

"I have an hour before I leave," his eye crinkled.

"Then we should really make the most of it," Sakura gave him a coy smile as she grabbed his hand and drug him towards the Daimyou's palace.

* * *

"I will be back," Kakashi assured her after spending most of the time that he had before leaving showing her exactly how much she meant to him.

"You are damn right you will," she smiled at him as she brazenly stood up wearing nothing and crossed her bedroom.

"I could always be a little late meeting up with the team," he smirked as he watched her bottom sway across the room. "I could tell them that I got lost."

"So, that is what you were doing all of those times that we had to wait for hours on you to show up," she smirked as she returned to his side.

"No," he assured her. "I sometimes used to lose track of time at the memorial stone."

"I see," that was something that Sakura could now understand. "Here take this with you."

"What is it?" Kakashi enquired.

"My field medical pack," Sakura told him, "I have taught you to use most of the stuff in it. God, I wish that I was going with you."

"You aren't ready to face Sasuke yet," Kakashi gently embraced her, "and I am not ready to have you anywhere near him."

"I know," she sighed. Kakashi gave her a gentle kiss before they both started getting dressed.

"Don't worry Sakura," he smiled before pulling up his mask. "How many missions have I come back from that I shouldn't have? All of those were before I had something truly worth coming home to. I won't fail you. I am not ready for this to be over."

"Me either," Sakura smiled at the silver haired man. She nervously bit her bottom lip for a minute. She didn't want to push Kakashi away, but in the life of a shinobi sometimes you didn't get a second chance to say the things that you should have. "Kakashi I love you."

The copy nin stilled, and for a moment Sakura was afraid that she had crossed the line. However it wasn't long before a hungry look entered his eyes and he pulled his mask back down.

"I love you Sakura, and I always will," the team was forced to wait an hour at the gates, while the copy nin showed his kunoichi exactly how true that statement was.

* * *

"I finished with the training this morning," Sakura told Yuki when she walked into his office. Normally she would have just returned home, but she knew that she would just drive herself insane with worry if she did; Kakashi had been gone for two days now. Hopefully Yuki would have something that she could help him to work on.

"Thank you Sakura," the young Daimyou replied, but she couldn't help but to notice a troubled look on his face.

"What is wrong?" The kunoichi felt her heart plummet. "Is it Kakashi? Did you hear word about his team?"

"No nothing about the team Sakura," he sighed, "but this is about Kakashi. Tell me what is your relationship with him?"

"I love him," she replied without hesitation. She knew that he probably wouldn't approve, but she would never deny her feelings for her silver haired lover.

"How long have you loved him Sakura?" Yuki had a sad look on his face.

"I don't really know," Sakura was having trouble seeing exactly where this conversation was going. "Probably since the day that I stormed out of here ready to rip his head off. He let me cry, and just held me. Then he showed me his face and made me promise not to hide from him anymore. If I had to pinpoint when things changed, that would probably be the moment."

"Sakura you are dealing with a dangerous man," he warned. "The copy nin is infamous for more than his shinobi skills. The man has left a line of women a mile long that he has used and tossed aside."

"I am aware of that," the kunoichi could feel her anger rising. "But that was different. He never let any of them know him or mean anything more than one night of pleasure."

"I can see that you are not going to listen to me," Yuki sighed.

"No, not about this I am not," she bristled. "You can think what you want, but you are wrong. Kakashi would never hurt me."

"I wish that were true," Yuki shook his head, "and I wish that you would have simply listened to me. Look at these."

With that he slid a stack of photos across his desk to the kunoichi. She appeared angry when she picked them up, but that quickly left her as she flipped through image after image. Images of Kakashi with the waitress.

"When were these taken?" Sakura couldn't keep her voice from cracking as she asked.

"The day before he left," Yuki lied.

"I see," the kunoichi could feel tears gathering in her eyes. Before they could fall, or another word could be spoken, she bolted from the office.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

Yuki had to carry Sakura home from the bar again that night, but even when they arrived she refused to go to bed. How could she? She knew for a fact that the sheets still smelled of him. Instead she set on the floor of the living room clinging to a bottle of Sake as though it was her only lifeline; at the moment it was.

"Sakura I never meant for you to get like this again," Yuki told her as he took a seat next to her.

"What did you expect?" The kunoichi slurred.

"That maybe you would get angry as you have a tendency to do," he sighed.

"Oh I am angry," she insisted, "but the hurt is just too much."

"You need a man that can appreciate you," the Daimyou placed a hand on her back. "A man that could never want anyone but you."

"Oh I have one of those," Sakura let out a bitter laugh. "He wants me to be a baby factory, and he killed my team."

"That is not what I mean," Yuki looked repulsed by the very thought. "Sakura you need someone who sees the real you, and loves you for who you are."

"Let me know when you find someone like that," she took another shot of Sake.

The man whom she considered her friend didn't respond with words, but instead as soon as she set her empty sake glass down he claimed her lips. Sakura immediately stiffened. She couldn't believe what was going on.

"Yuki, why did you have those pictures of Kakashi?" She questioned. Was he planning something like this all along?

"Because he was a dangerous shinobi in my village," he replied a bit worried about her reaction to his affection, "not to have him followed would have been foolish. Sakura, don't shut me out we need to talk."

"Tomorrow," she declared as she stood up but kept a firm grip on her bottle. Even to her drunken mind his explanation seemed to be lacking. "Right now I just need time to think."

"Alright," the Daimyou relented as he placed a gentle kiss on her forehead and watched her retreat to her room. He was certain that given time she would come around, and then she would be his.

* * *

Sakura set in her room drinking for several hours until she was certain that the other occupant of the house was sound asleep. She knew that she told him that they would have a talk in the morning, but it was a conversation that she had no intentions of having. She had enough of it all; enough of all of them. Stupid men who played like they were her friend, but then showed her pictures that tore out her heart. Stupid obsessed avengers. Anyone for that matter with those damned sharingan eyes.

Sakura knew that she had been reluctant to go back to Konoha, but right now she wanted nothing more than to be home. She wanted to cry her heart out on her surrogate mother, Tsunade's, shoulder. Then when that freakin copy nin had the nerve to show back up she would just set back, and watch the older woman kick his ass all around the village. Yep, she smiled to herself that was exactly what she would do. First she just had to pack up all of her emergency Sake stash. She would try to be sure to keep some for Tsunade; the other woman was sure to love this particular exotic blend of their favorite drink.

* * *

"Where the hell is she?" The Daimyou demanded of the ANBU officer in front of him.

"I am afraid that we do not know my Lord," the shinobi kept his head lowered in shame. "She managed to give us the slip, and it appears that she has left the village."

"You mean to tell me that one drunk kunoichi managed to hide herself from my most elite shinobi?" Yuki raised a brow.

"Not exactly," the shinobi shook his head. "It seems that she realized that she was being followed, and at that point she knocked out the shinobi assigned to watch her with one punch."

"Great," Yuki sighed, "just great."

There was now a drunken, angry, and heartbroken kunoichi on the loose. He knew for a fact that she was probably still drunk, because she had taken every bottle of Sake from his home before she had left. Worse still the copy nin should be returning any time, and he was sure that the man would not take the news well. The Daimyou was almost certain that a war would be easier to deal with.

* * *

Kakashi pushed the team hard on the return trip. He had already spent too many days away from Sakura, and he wasn't about to let their lack of stamina slow him down. The Sound shinobi had proven to be fairly easy to deal with, but much to his disappointment Sasuke had not been among them. All of those thoughts were pushed from his mind when the village gates came into view. He headed straight to the Daimyou's office so that he could give his report, and then find his kunoichi to show her how much he had missed her in his absence.

"It is handled," Kakashi told the younger man when he stood before his desk. "No casualties, if you don't count them."

"Thank you," Yuki nodded his head. He had no doubt that the copy nin would be able to handle the mission when he had given it to him.

"No problem. Now if you will excuse me I am going to go find Sakura," the older shinobi replied as he started for the door.

"Yes about that," the Daimyou nervously swallowed before continuing, "that could be much easier said than done."

"What exactly does that mean?" Kakashi growled at the other man.

"She left the village," Yuki explained. No one has seen her for two days even though I sent a squad of ANBU out to retrieve her."

"Why the hell would she just leave like that?" Kakashi questioned, though he wasn't surprised by the fact that Yuki's squad hadn't located her. He personally knew how hard it could be to find her if she didn't want you to.

"I might have had something to do with that," Yuki gulped when the man pushed his forehead protector up and his deadliest weapon was revealed. Hopefully, the four ANBU that he had standing guard in case things got ugly would prove to be enough.

"Explain," the dangerous edge in the copy nin's voice was undeniable.

"I showed her these," the Daimyou handed the pictures over to the other man, "and I may have exaggerated when they were taken."

"You little bastard," Kakashi hissed as he crushed the pictures in his hand before throwing them into the man's face. " I am going to find her, and I assure you that if any harm has come to her because of this I will return to rip you limb from limb, and not even your entire army will be able to stop me."

As the silver haired man left his office Yuki hoped even harder than he had before that Sakura would be discovered safe. Because if she wasn't, he had no doubt that Konoha's famous copy nin would do just what he had promised.


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

Three days now Sakura had been wandering through the forest. She didn't take her usual method of traveling, because she made for damn sure that she staid drunk enough that she would fall out of a freakin tree if she tried to. That reminded her she only had six bottles of Sake left. She would have to find a village to restock in soon. Poor Tsunade; she probably wasn't going to get to try any of this particular brew. The older kunoichi would understand though.

"Sakura," she heard a velvety voice call her name. Once it would have caused her heart to race, or fear to course through her. Today however she really didn't give a shit.

"What the hell do you want Sasuke Uchiha?" She slurred as she wheeled around to face the man, though this time she remembered not to look him in his eyes.

* * *

Kakashi had been hot on Sakura's heels for the last few hours. However, her erratic direction changes had forced him to finally summon his pug to help keep track of her. Now though he felt something that made him begin to fly through the trees; the Uchiha was in the area and his chakra signature was close to Sakura's. She was facing Sasuke alone, but not for long. The scene which he came bursting into though was not what he had expected.

"You know what I want Sakura," Sasuke purred to his former teammate.

"Actually, you are right I know exactly what you want," she nodded her head. "At least you are honest, though the whole evil thing needs to be worked on."

"Sakura," Kakashi yelled to get her attention. He had witnessed her look straight into the sharingan twice since he arrived. "What are you doing?"

"Can it you ass," she gave him a scathing look, "this doesn't have anything to do with you. I am just discussing letting Sasuke here screw my brains out."

"What is wrong with her?" Sasuke's eyes widened at the kunoichi's proclamation.

"Lovers spat," Kakashi explained as he continued to look at the pink haired woman.

"Lovers spat my ass," She hissed, "love apparently had nothing to do with it. Come on we can go now Sasuke. As for you Kakashi, why don't you go let Yuki kiss you, but let me warn you he really sucks at it."

"He kissed you?" Kakashi felt his blood begin to boil.

"Sure did," she smirked as she grabbed the horrified Uchiha's arm and started to pull him away. Sasuke wanted her to bare his heirs, she was the most powerful kunoichi around, but she seemed to have gone completely insane.

"You aren't going anywhere," Kakashi declared.

"You know what you are right," Sakura nodded her head in agreement. "I had to look at those damn pictures. Sasuke do me right here, right now."

"What?" The former member of Team 7 pulled his arm away from the crazy pink haired woman.

"That's right, come on let's make you a little Uchiha right now," she took a step towards him and was surprised to see him take a step back from her.

"I don't know what you have done to her," Sasuke looked at his former sensei, "but I will be back for her. When she isn't like this."

With that said the Uchiha retreated for the first time in his life. Sennin, clan murdering monsters, he had faced them all with no fear. But, a woman who was so drunk that she wanted him to take her with an audience was not something that he had been prepared to handle.

* * *

"Look what you did," Sakura wheeled on the silver haired man. "You made him go away."

"I am pretty sure that you managed that all on your own," Kakashi smiled at her relieved that she had found a way to get rid of the Uchiha without bloodshed. In her current state of mind he wasn't entirely sure that he would be able to fight the sharingan wielder, and protect her. "Now I think that we need to talk."

"Go talk to your waitress," Sakura hissed in reply.

"Sakura Yuki lied to you," Kakashi told her. "Those pictures were taken before you and I started anything."

"So," she shrugged, "you jump from bed to bed so quickly that it really doesn't matter. Did you have a pretty teammate to fuck while you were gone?"

That said she turned on her heel and began to walk away. She wasn't going to hear any of his pretty little lies. It hurt too much to realize the truth, and she wasn't about to be seduced into believing him again. She was sure she would crumble into a million pieces once he decided he was through with her.

"That is it," the copy nin had grown flustered with the situation. He wasn't going to get anywhere with her as drunk as she was, or walking away from him.

Without uttering a word he walked up behind the woman and scooped her up like he would a bag of rice. She immediately began kicking and hitting him with her balled up fists.

"Put me down," she demanded. Luckily for Kakashi, she was so inebriated that she didn't even think to use the monstrous strength that she had at her disposal.

"Oh I am going to put you down," he assured her as he walked closer to his goal. He just hoped that it was deep enough.

It only took a few more steps before the enraged kunoichi's ears picked up a familiar sound. She quickly changed her tune.

"Kakashi you wouldn't dare," she growled.

"Oh wouldn't I?" He asked as he threw her. Right into the middle of a creek. He waited until she came up sputtering before he spoke again. "Feel better?"

"Are you serious?" She fixed him with a hard stare. "Of course I don't feel better I am soaking wet."

"Do you at least feel more sober?" He smiled at her.

"Yes you completely ruined my buzz," she acknowledged.

"Good," the copy nin stretched a hand out to help her out of the water. In retrospect it probably wasn't one of the smartest things that he had done in his life.

"What was that for?" A dripping wet Kakashi asked her after he wiped his silver hair from in front of his face.

"Payback," she seethed.

"Well at least we are even," he gave her an eye crinkling smile. "Now we can talk."

"I have nothing to say to you," she crossed her arms in such a way that her breasts were pushed up.

Kakashi couldn't help himself. He had missed her so very badly, and the way that she looked standing there with water beaded on her was just too much. One look at her full pink lips and he leaned down towards them. He knew when she was holding his head underwater that had been his second stupid move of the day.

"Don't you dare try that," Sakura warned. "After what I saw, what you did, you have no right to ever touch me again."

"Well at least I didn't try to rape a Uchiha in front of you," Kakashi replied. "Though now we know how to make him tuck tail and run. I wonder if the same strategy would work for me and Naruto."

"Can't you ever take anything seriously?" She asked as she turned and started to try to climb the slick embankment that was their only way out of the water. Kakashi noticed that the moisture in her eyes had nothing to do with their watery excursion.

"I was a fool," he whispered into her ear before helping boost her up.

"Yes you were," Sakura sighed as she reached out a hand to help him out.

She supposed that she was eventually going to have to talk to him; now was as good a time as ever. If she had to kill him, it would be better to do it here than in Konoha.


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

"I am sorry that you had to see those damn pictures," Kakashi told the shivering, almost naked girl, as they huddled around a fire trying to get warm.

"Me too," she still wouldn't look him in the eye.

"Sakura, I knew from the start that something was off with Yuki," the copy nin poked the fire with a stick. "He admitted to me that he lied to you about when those pictures were taken."

"It doesn't matter when they were taken," Sakura let out a bitter laugh. "They just reminded me of something that I should have known all along. When it comes down to it I am going to be just another good time, and I can't handle that."

"That couldn't be farther from the truth," he sighed. "Sakura, I don't even remember her name. I have never allowed myself to be with anyone more than once. That would be letting someone too close. You are different. I already knew you. We already had bonds that I know are impossible to break."

"Not impossible," she looked him in the eyes then.

"Yes impossible," the copy nin insisted. "I was having all of these thoughts about you. All of these feelings that I knew were so wrong. I know that it doesn't make it any better, but I used her. I thought that maybe, just maybe, she could help me get those thoughts about you out of my mind. I knew before it was even over that it wouldn't work."

"Kakashi what made you think that the feelings you had for me were so wrong?" She asked.

"You were my student Sakura," he looked directly at her. "I have known you since you were a little girl. I guarantee you that when we get back to Konoha there will be a line of people a mile long, with a thousand different reasons that it is wrong for me to be with you."

"I am not a little girl anymore," she smirked. "True you may have been my teacher, you are far too old for me, and who knows how long you will even be around given how reckless you are."

"That's quite enough thank you Sakura," he stopped her own list of reasons that they shouldn't be together, though deep down he rejoiced over the small smile that had returned to her face.

"So Yuki lied about when those pictures were taken?" The fact that her friend had lied to her was a bitter pill to swallow.

"Afraid so," Kakashi nodded his head. "I knew that he would try something, but I never would have thought that he would be willing to hurt you in the process."

"I would like to go back and rip his damn head off," Sakura grumbled.

"Konoha is still trying to recover from its last war," he was glad to see the fire back in her eyes. "Tsunade would probably frown upon us starting another."

"Have they put Sai and Yamato's name on the memorial stone yet?" The reminder of Konoha immediately made her think of her fallen comrades; her fallen friends.

"I wouldn't let them," Kakashi told her and rushed on to explain when he saw her gape at him, "they wanted to put your name along with theirs. There was no way in hell I was going to let that happen."

"I see," Sakura nodded her head, "we will have to fix that as soon as we return."

"Yes we will," he was grateful that at last she was ready to return to their home with him. He knew that what he had said earlier was true; there would be plenty of people who would not approve of them. Kakashi frankly didn't give a damn. As long as they had each other, everyone else could go to hell.

* * *

Late that night Sakura finally gave up trying to sleep and moved her bedroll next to Kakashi's. The copy nin gave her a hungry look but seemed hesitant to touch her. Almost as though he was afraid that if he did she would run from him again. Sakura was still hurt over all that had transpired, but she knew one thing. She still desperately loved Kakashi. Without asking permission she pulled his mask down and gave him a passionate kiss.

"Why Miss Haruno," Kakashi smiled against her lips. "Are you going to rape me in the middle of the forest too?"

"That is the plan," she smirked as he ran his hands down her sides.

Kakashi couldn't help but to savor the way that it felt to touch her again. It was like he had been a starving man, and she was the only thing in the world that could fill him. He had known before, but as he took her again Kakashi was more certain than ever that there could never be anyone after Sakura. No woman could ever compare. She was all that he never knew he was looking for, and so very much more.

* * *

"How far are we from Konoha?" Sakura questioned before they started out the next morning.

"Quite a ways actually," Kakashi rubbed the back of his head. "You see, while you were drunk you just kept going in a huge circle."

"Oh," Sakura blushed. "Well we had better get going. Sai and Yamato have been denied the honor that they are due long enough thanks to me."

"Oh no you don't," Kakashi grabbed her shoulder and forced her to look at him. "That was all me. I could have let them go ahead and add their names without yours, but I figured that you would want to be there when they were added. They would want you there when they were added."

"Thank you Kakashi," Sakura smiled and gave him a kiss over his mask.

* * *

The two had been traveling for a couple of days stopping at night and whenever Kakashi simply couldn't take her swaying hips in those tight black pants any longer. Sakura had called him insatiable, and he had been surprised by the realization that she was right. He had always figured that when you had a woman once you knew all of her tricks.

However, his pink haired lover had proven him wrong. Considering the fact that he knew he was her first she was proving to be a fast learner, and oh so very inventive. His pants grew uncomfortably tight any time that he recalled the time that she snatched his Icha-Icha book from him, and cast a henge over herself causing her to look exactly like the heroine from its pages. His mind was drug out of the gutter when Sakura came to a sudden stop.

"We have a problem," she told him. "Four chakra signatures two of them extremely strong headed this way."

Kakashi wasn't surprised that she had picked up on the fact sooner than he had. Sakura had always been very gifted when it came to both chakra control and detection. Those skills had only increased over the years. He looked her over for a moment and noticed the shake in her hand as she reached for a kunai. Sakura was as ready as she ever would be to return to the Leaf, but she still wasn't quite prepared to renter the life of a kunoichi. She had lost her confidence when she lost her team, and she still had not found it.

"No Sakura," he caught her hand before she reached her weapon. "Hide your chakra and conceal yourself. I will handle this."

"But I can't leave you to fight alone," she argued.

"This will be a lot easier if I know that you are safe," he quickly kissed her and pushed her towards the tree line. "Now go."

So Sakura did just that. As the copy nin lifted his forehead protector and revealed his already active sharingan she hid herself in a tree above where the battle would soon begin. She felt like a fool. Sakura Haruno was an elite kunoichi, not a girl who hid in trees.

But even now before the hostile approaching chakra signatures arrived images were starting to dance through her head. Sai falling, Yamato taking a hit that had been meant for her. She had trained under one of the Legendary Sennin, and still she had failed. How could she ever go into battle with another team? She already had enough blood on her hands to last a lifetime.


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

Kakashi took one final look into the tree that Sakura had concealed herself in pleased that he could no longer see her. In preparation for the approaching shinobi he took out his book and leaned nonchalantly against a tree. Even he would admit that his methods could sometimes be unorthodox. When at last they came onto view he saw that they wore no insignia from any village. They were rogues, bounty hunters probably.

"Oh he will definitely bring in a good bit," one of the four spoke.

"Don't you know who he is?" One of the men seemed a bit nervous when he caught sight of Kakashi's eyes. "That is Konoha's copy nin."

"Indeed," Kakashi snapped his book shut and placed it into his pouch. "How can I help you?"

"By making us rich men," one with a large scar running across his face spoke.

"I am afraid that I really don't make as much as you would think," Kakashi smirked.

"Well your head is worth more than enough," the scarred man spoke again.

"So it is going to be like that," Kakashi shrugged. "I suppose that you could try to take it, but I warn you many stronger than you have already tried. I was forced to take theirs instead."

"Let's just leave this one," the most skittish of the group tried to reason. "I detected two chakra signatures, I am sure that whoever the other belonged to will be much easier to handle."

"You are mistaken," Kakashi told him. "There is just me. If there was another chakra anywhere in the area I would know about it. So, why don't we just get this started?"

* * *

Sakura watched as Kakashi launched a kunai at one of the shinobi who managed to perform a substitution jutsu in time to avoid injury. The despicable bounty hunters circled around him. If she was down there with him they could stand back to back, and even the odds. She knew that she was failing him now, just as surely as she had failed her team. There was no doubt that Kakashi would survive this fight, but still every bit of blood that he lost was going to be another drop on her hands.

One of the shinobi began a jutsu and Kakashi's sharingan swirled as he mimicked the move. It was only seconds before two fireballs collided, rendering them both harmless. However, the shuriken that caught the copy nin's arm was not. Blood began to flow freely from the wound, but her lover did not so much as flinch.

He was doing this for her; after he had already done so much. He had been the one to come after her, when the rest of Konoha was ready to put her name on the memorial stone. Kakashi had never given up on her, but she had given up on herself. Her eyes widened when she saw Kakashi again copying a jutsu, while one of the shinobi behind his back performed an earth jutsu sending a boulder flying at the copy nin. Sakura made a split second decision then. She would not fail, not this time.

The kunoichi dropped to the ground, righteous anger blazing in her eyes, right into the path of the giant boulder. Before she even came out of the crouch that she had landed in her fist glowed with blue chakra. The boulder never stood a chance. Unbeknownst to her Kakashi smiled at the sound of her fist shattering the rock. His Sakura was back, he almost pitied the shinobi who were sure to suffer her wrath. Like himself messing with Sakura's precious people was crossing a line, one from which there was no coming back.

Within minutes of her entering the fight it was finished. Even after so much time the sensei and his pupil worked in perfect harmony. Kakashi surveyed the damage around him and the shinobi who had never really stood a chance.

"Welcome back," he smiled at the woman who had found her inner kunoichi again.

"Thanks," she returned his smile.

Kakashi took a good look at her and noted the fact that she hadn't even broken a sweat. He always found her attractive, but right now knowing that she had overcome her fears merely for his sake made her more beautiful than ever.

"Sakura," he purred with a look in his eyes that she had come to know well.

"Not here," she shook her head, though she also took his hand and led him away from the bounty hunters.

As soon as they were far enough away he pressed her back against a tree and took delight in the small gasp that escaped her. This time his feelings for her had nothing to do with it. This was all about lust and primal desires born from watching her in her element; crushing men as though they were mere flies. With her still trapped against the tree he took her; blood from their fight falling onto each other's bodies.

* * *

"Are you ready for this?" Kakashi took the woman's hand.

"Not exactly," she replied. "But it is either now or never."

Having received his answer he teleported them both directly to the Hokage's office; hands still intertwined. He figured that just seeing Tsunade would be enough for right now. If he had to he would personally fight all of their friends away until she was ready to face them.

"Sakura," the Hokage gasped when she saw the pink haired kunoichi, the kunoichi whom she assumed had died. After looking at the pair for a moment though a vein in her head began to throb. "What the hell is going on here?"

"Well you see," Kakashi began.

"We are together," Sakura cut him off, "and I am sorry, but nothing is going to change that."

Tsunade started to argue, the mother in her head wanted nothing more than to remove the silver haired man's balls, but she didn't. He had never given up on Sakura; even when she had. She should have known that there was something going on when Kakashi had fought so passionately to go after the kunoichi. But she doubted that he even acknowledged at the time why exactly he was so driven to find the girl.

Neither of them had been perceptive enough, to look underneath the underneath. It had been right there in front of their faces though the whole time. The copy nin hadn't even been so upset with the loss of Asuma; his best friend. There would be a long road ahead of the pair. The Hokage had no doubt that there would be many who would stand back and wait on them to fall apart, but as it stood they had her blessing.

"Fine," the blonde woman finally spoke. "But let me tell you Kakashi Hatake, if you hurt her you will have two of the strongest kunoichi in all of Fire ready to kick your ass."

"Noted," Kakashi sweat dropped.

"Sakura I am so glad to have you home," Tsunade crossed to her and wrapped her into a hug.

She didn't ask the kunoichi where the hell she had been. Sakura still had a look in her eyes that Tsunade herself saw every time that she looked into the mirror. She knew that eventually Sakura would tell her tale, but not until she was ready. For now just having her home was enough.

"Well I hate to ask you this already, but as soon as you are ready to return to the ANBU roster please let me know," Tsunade sighed. "You know how it has been since the war."

"Immediately is fine," Sakura replied after looking into Kakashi's eyes.

"Add me to it as well," Kakashi surprised both women. "I am sure that Konoha could use the services of both of us. Just be sure to remember that we are a team."

"I will make sure to remember that," Tsunade smiled as the pair exited her office.

She was sure they would have their trials, but they had her backing. The Hokage knew all too well the lonely path that one could choose after losing your team the way that Sakura had. The copy nin had walked it for a long time now. She was grateful that Sakura had helped him find a new course, and that he had prevented her apprentice from living such a sorrowful existence.

Konoha would only prosper from the union. She was certain that both of them would fight harder than ever before, to ensure that they both returned from whatever mission she threw at them. Not to mention the grandbabies that could come from the union.

Yes the war had changed all of their lives, but it was only today that the Hokage knew that all of the changes had not been for the worse.


End file.
